RIYA DAFTARY
I'm CFO at Creatify, the #1-ranked TikTok Shop partner agency.
I invest in the businesses behind the technology.
And I use AI every day to do both, then show you how.
How I got here
I'm the CFO at Creatify, the #1-ranked TikTok Shop partner agency, with over $1.3B in managed GMV across 20,000+ creators for the top global beauty and wellness brands. So I'm close to AI and the business of it every day. Before Creatify, I was a private equity investor at StepStone Group, one of the largest private-markets firms in the world, with $245B in assets under management and $913B in total capital responsibility as of June 30, 2026. That's where I learned to look at a company and ask the questions that actually matter: who's paying, why they keep paying, and what it costs to run.
Alongside Creatify, I invest in CPG brands, AI companies, and private equity and venture funds through my family office. I use AI every day to run our finances and to invest, and I've worked with everyone from early startups to Fortune 500 companies.
This site is where I share what I learn. Most AI advice is either pure hype or too technical to use, and I wanted something in the middle.
Get in touch
Got a question, a company I should look at, or something to work on together? Follow along on TikTok, or send me an email. And if there's something you want me to cover, a specific guide or playbook you'd find useful, email me at hello@withriya.com and I'll build it.